Families lose everything in devastating Sask. fire
Several families have lost everything after devestating a fire near North Battleford.
The fire was at a multi-unit complex on Mosquito Grizzly Bear’s Head Lean Man First Nation, according to a Facebook post.
Residents who escaped the fire tell CTV News they are struggling to make sense of it all.
“I was sleeping when this fire was happening, and I woke up, just it felt like a lot of wind. Then I looked out my window,” Amelia Young said. “That's when I was looking around to see what was going on. It was so windy and then when I looked to my right already the flames were coming up from the top of the building. I didn't hesitate - I was in my nightgown and I was gonna go running out like that.”
Young said she had lived in the building for three months and has lost everything.
“I'm just scared and I feel so confused,” she said. “I've never experienced that kind of fire and to see that kind of fire coming towards me.”
Long-time building resident Albert Curly said he had put his baby to bed and was falling asleep himself when it happened.
“It was up in flames while we were sleeping,” he told CTV News.
He said he heard knocking at his door, which woke him up.
“Thank God my niece's screaming woke me up with my newborn.”
He said it will be hard to forget his loss.
“I can bring memories back, all my memories, going up in flames in front of my eyes. It just still bothers me today.”
The Battleford Fire Department sent three trucks to battle the fire, and 28 volunteer firefighters turned up from surrounding areas to help.
Band Chief Tanya Aguilar-Antiman said the fire has caused a lot of damage and left emotional scars.
“It’s tough when there is one fire,” she said. “But we have eight.”
The Red Cross is providing shelter, clothing and other needs for the eight families impacted, and a clothing drive has been started by the band.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The band says it hopes to have the families in new homes by September.
-With files from Tyler Barrow
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadians across the country mark Remembrance Day
Canadians gathered Monday in cities and towns across the country to honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of the country's values and principles.
Canada cancels automatic 10-year multiple-entry visas, tightens rules
Canada has announced changes to their visitor visa policies, effectively ending the automatic issuance of 10-year multiple-entry visas, according to new rules outlined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Trump names Stephen Miller to be deputy chief of policy in new administration
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is naming longtime adviser Stephen Miller, an immigration hard-liner, to be the deputy chief of policy in his new administration.
Mattel says it 'deeply' regrets misprint on 'Wicked' dolls packaging that links to porn site
Toy giant Mattel says it 'deeply' regrets an error on the packaging of its 'Wicked' movie-themed dolls, which mistakenly links toy buyers to a pornographic website.
Alien-like signal from 2023 has been decoded. The next step is to figure out what it means
If Earth's astronomical observatories were to pick up a signal from outer space, it would need an all-hands-on-deck effort to decipher the extraterrestrial message. A father-daughter team of citizen scientists recently deciphered the message. Its meaning, however, remains a mystery.
Twin port shutdowns risk more damage to Canadian economy: business groups
Business groups are raising concerns about the broad effects of another round of labour disruptions in the transport sector as Canada faces shutdowns at its two biggest ports.
Experts investigate possible tornado in Fergus, Ont.
A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.
Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people
Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.
Bleeding and in pain, a woman endured a harrowing wait for miscarriage care due to Georgia's restrictive abortion law
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision eliminated the federal right to abortion, miscarriage management has become trickier and in some cases, deadlier.